Leather-folding machine



J. w. ANTHONY.

LEATHER FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I6, 1917.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

4 SHEET$SHEET I.

J. W. ANTHONY.

LEATHER FOLDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. I6. I917.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. .ANTHONY.

LEATHER FOLDING MACHINE.

m w 0 m 7 3% h a 8 v H APPLICATION FILED MAR 16, 19I7.

IlIIIlIIIl lllIlll J. W. ANTHONY.

LEATHER FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1917.

1,326,827. Patented Dec. 30,1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

Z7 Zy.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.rosnrn -w. ANTHONY, or LrNN, uassncnusnms.

. Lineman-mums MACHINE.

To all whom itmeyconcem':

Be. it known that I, JOSEPH W. ANTHONY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lynn, in the county of-Essex and State ot Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Leather-Folding Machines, of which thefollowin is a specification.

This invention re ates to an improvement in folding machines, whereinone or more ed es of a piece of leather or-similar materia may befolded. The particular structure involved in this invention is a machinefor folding three edges of a folding case or receiver, the edges sofolded being forced down upon an inner independent section.

The present machine is of the-same general type as those described in myoopendin applications, Serial Nos. 79,205 filed Fe ruary 18, 1916;155,343, filed .March 16, 1917, and 155,345, filed March '16, 1917,wherein the material to be folded is arranged upon a table supported fora limited reciprocating movement under pressure.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan View of the improved machine. Fig. 2is a front elevation of the same.- Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section.Fig. 4: is a plan of the bed illustrating particularly the arrangementof the wipers.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan of the operating 6 is a sectional detailillustrating the means for depressing the bed.

Fig. 7 is a detail in elevationof the same.

Fig. 8 is a plan illustrating the forming plates and their connections.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the machine showing the positions of theparts following the initial operation.

Figs. 10, 11, 12, and 13 are sectional details showing successiveoperative stages of the folding operation.

Figs. 14 and 15 areperspective views, showing the movable sections ofthe, side wipers and their operation.

Fig. 16 is a perspective detail showing a modified means for operatingthe forming plate carrier.

Figs. 17 and 18 represent respectively rear and face views of thespecific article for which the machine. is particularly designed.

Fig. 19 is a plan showing a sllght modlfication withrespect to theforming plates,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filled 18101116, 1917. Serial N0. 155,344.

ent machine, for ornamental purposes. The

specific product of the present machine is illustrated in Figs. 17 and18 of the drawings, and while particularly adapted for.

such product, it is, of course, obvious and readily apparent from thefollowing de-,

scription, that the machine is intended for coiiperation with anymaterial in which a .pluralit of edges are designed to be simultaneous yfolded, the edge outline of the fold, governed in the present type ofmachine by the edge shape of forming plates, being varied to therequirements of the particular line of fold desired.

The present machine has a base 10, above which is arranged for a limitedmovement to and from the base, a bed 11. Guide posts 12 rise from thebase and pass through a lateral extension 13 projecting from a bracket14 removably secured to the under side of the bed, and serve to guidethe bed in movement. The lateral extension 13is spaced from the bed, andthe under-surface of the bed is formed above the lateral extension withthe recess 15 to receive an operating ring 16, mounted for limitedrotary reciprocation in said recess and formed or provided with means,whereby various necessary operations may be caused to follow in properlytimed sequence.

The bed is formed about centrally with an opening 17, in which isarranged a table 18, forming one part of the clamping means for thematerial to be operated upon. The table is supported upon posts 19passing through laterally extended plates 20 of brackets 21 secured tothe base, the posts 19 having securing nuts or the like means22, ontheir lower ends, and positioning springs 23 encircling the same abovethe plates 20 and between said plates and the table. The table is thusfree to move downward against ten- Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

sion of the springs 23, the limit of movement being governed by thedistance between the base, the contact of said nuts, and base limitingthe downward movement of the table and arranging it in effect as a fixedpart of the base. The material is to be supported upon the table andsaid table has itsupper surface preferably felted on anoutline'corresponding to that of the edges 'to be folded, but .of adimension less than that of the completed article to permit the edges ofthe articlewhencompleted to project beyond the edges of the table.

The upper surface of the table 1s prefer ably felted on the folding edgesurface to provide a somewhat yielding surface for the action of thewipers, the use of the felted edge avoiding the necessity of positivelylimiting the downward movement of the table, and permitting the use ofcomparatively strong springs 23, which will provide necessary resistancein the completion of the fol The cooperating clamping member, which isadapted to overlie the material upon the table and clamp the same inworking relation thereto, is carried by a clamp frame 24 ofapproximatelyrectangular shape having a laterally offset bracket 25,through which the clamp frame is connected for positive movement withthe ring 16. The bracket 25 is formed with spaced vertically extendingopenings 26 in which are removably and ad ustably secured operating rods28 by set screws 27. The upper ends of the rods 28 are slidably mountedin a guide bracket 29, secured to and rising from the bed 11, the lowerends of said rods passing through the bed and being operativelyconnected to the ring 16 as will be later described. Mounted in theclamp frame 24 and for longitudinal movement therein is a resetting rod30. A carrier 31 is adjustably secured upon the rod, by any fasteningmeans, and

includes an eye or bracket to receive the rod, and an underlying plateportion 32 which extends over the edge bars 33. Secured on the loweredges of the bars 33 are the forming plates 35, here shown as three suchplates, though a single plate may be used if desired, and between theclamping plates 34 and edge bars are arranged the orming plates.

The forming plates are adapted to be projected into an operativeposition beyond the edges of the clamping plates proper, so that theprojecting ortion of the forming plates may be utilize as an edge overwhich the material is to be folded, following which the forming platesare withdrawn or retracted from within the fold of material, to permitthe wipers to force the fold down onto the underlying material. Theforming plates are projected and retracted, and thus moved to operativeor inoperative positions through movement of the resetting bar carryingwith it the carrier 31.

The forming plates, which for urposes of particular folding operation ddsigned by this machine present foldin plate, are formed of two sections35, eac comprising right angle portions 36, 37, the plates'beingarranged so that through their right angle formation, they cooperatewith the side edges, and one end edge of the material. The right angleformatlon of the clamping plates-forms the end edge folding portionwhich is thus made up of one section of each of the plates, and themeeting edges of these sections are so formed as to overlap in allpositions, thereby maintaining an effective edge presentation throughthe formingplates in the full operative position of the latter. Theplate 32 is formed adjacent its relatively inner edges with inclined'slots38, which slots receive pins 39 risin from the edge bars 33 of thecarrier. to compel a relatively forward as well as an outward movementof the forming plates to properly positioning them,the forward movementis gained by forming in the plates additional inclined slots 40 whichreceive pins .41 depending from the edges of the clamping frameimmediately overlying the' forming plates, that is, the edges of suchframe which support the clamping plate proper.

The longitudinal reciprocation of the rethe base, the rod being springpressed in a direction to cause a roller carried on the end thereof tobear upon an operating cam 66 fixed upon a power shaft 67.

The carrier frame will be moved downwardly to cause the clamping plates34 to engage the article a previously deposited upon the table 18, andcontinue such movement'to depress the table to a point below the bedsurface topermit folding of the edge, the bed wipers mounted on the bedcooperating with each edge of the material to be folded. In the presentinstance there are three such wipers shown, an end wiper 47 and sidewipers 48. The wipers are mounted for sliding movement in dovetailedrecesses in the bed, and are so positioned normally that their .inner oroperative edges aline with the corresponding edges of the opening 17 inthe bed. As the table with the article clamped thereon moves downwardlythrough the action of the descending. clamping frame, the pro- It beingdesired edges, beyond I three edges of the clampm jectin edges of thematerial are carried past t e edges of the wipers and of the bed, aswill be plain from the Fig.9 of the drawings. The wipers are thenpromoted inwardly with relation to each other so as to turn thedeflected portions of the material down onto the forming plates, whichlatter timed cycle of operations which as arranged for in the presentinvention iscarried out through the movement of a single memberherein'before referred to as a' cam ring. This cam ring 16 is ofplate-like formation, having at intervals depending hollow blocklikesections 51. The ring is guided in movement in the under surface of thebed beyond and concentric with the opening 17 and at an appropriatepoint between the block sections 51, the inner edge of the ring has adepending wall 56, removablysecured to the ring. This wall is formedwith the cam slot" 57 in which operates a roller 58, carried on a pin59, projecting laterally from a cross bar 60, connecting the lower endsof the clamp-frame operating rods 28.

The cam slot 57, as shown in Fig. 9 is formed with an initial operatingsection 61 inclined downwardly, causing an initial depression of thecarrier frame to move the clamp plate and through the latter the tableto the initial operating position pre viously described. When the partshave reached this position the wipers will have acted and the formingplates will be with drawn from the folds of the material, and it .is nolonger necessary to maintain the clamping frame in clamping relationwith the table, and hence, the final section 61 of the cam is of aheight equal to the maximum vertical dimensions of the cam section 61,so that the carrier frame is wholly free from any cam influence, and mayliftfor an appreciable distance above the carrier though no specificmeans is deemed neces.

sary herein to cause such movement of the frame. The upper surface ofthe cam ring proper is formed at appropriate points with cam slots 63,designed to operate the wipers through pins 49, depending from suchwipers and entering the slots. The cam slots 68 for the wipers aresubstantially identical, each having an initial section 64, concentricwith the movement of the cam ring and of the length to maintain thewipers idle while anoperative movement, or subthe guide rods with thebase. ward limit of the table is reached just prior,

'stantially a fully erative movement of the clamp frame is going had.cam slots are then inclined inwardly wlth respect to the cam ringpresenting an operative section 65 sothat as the pins 49 travel in thisoperative section the wipers will be moved from a normal to a fullyoperative position.- The wiper cam slots have a final olding section 66concentric with thering but on a plane inwardly of the idle section, theholding section maintaining the wipers in projectedrelation to completethe folding operation described and holding the folded section to insureits adherenceto the material beneath. The-depending sections 51 of thecam ring are positioned to cooperate with means carried by the u perends of the guide posts 12 of the bed. ach

The wiper of said depending sections 51 is formed in its inner wall witha cam slot 53 to receive a roller 53' carried by a rod arrangedlaterally of the upper end of each of the posts 12, said posts beingreduced at every upper end and the bottom walls of the dependingsections 51 of the cam ring having guide slots 51' concentric with thering through which the reduced portions of the posts pass. Thecotiperation of the cam slots 53 with the rollers 53 serves to depressthe bed to complete the folding operation, as described, and as this isthe final operation the said cam slots are formed with an initial' idlesection 54 in'which travel of the rolls 53 may be had without moving thebed during the preceding operations, an inclined operative section 55 inwhich the travel of the rollers will depress the bed to complete theoperation described, and a holding section 55, serving in the travel ofthe rollers 53' therein to hold the bed depressed to maintain the foldunder the pressure of the wipers for a sufiicient len h of time to fixthe cemented edges in fol ed relation.

The cam ring is given reciprocatory movement to that extent necessary toinsure a full effect of the. cam slots by a crank terminal 81 on thepower shaft 67, the crank being connected by a a pin 83 projectingradially rom the cam ring, the connections oompensatin for thedifferences in positions of the cran pin and cam ring' pin. throughoutthe respective movements.

The table previously described is limited in its downward movement bycontact of This downto the final movement of the bed, under whichconditions the table becomes a fixed support to insure an adequatepressure of the wipers. upon the folds. It is at this final pressingmovement that the creasing of the face side of the article is secured.This creasing is accomplished by a creasing itman 82 to final depressedpositions of the iron,79, supported on the baseand having its uppercreasing edge 80 in position to be engaged by the material just prior tothe iron is of course heated, prefera ly electrically. or in any otherdesired wa so that a crease'of the material is had uring the finalpressure.

'The machine described is adapted to fold three edges of the articlethat 1s both side edges and oneend edge. The' folded por-,.

tions. will naturally lap at the corners, and as it is desired that asmoothlap be secured it is considered important to avoid exactlysimultaneous foldin of all edges. This result is obtained. in thestructure here shown by having the side wipers operate slightly inadvance of the end wiper, as for example by having the-idle portion, 6 1of the end wiper cam slot slightly longer than the similar portions ofthe cam slots for, 'the side wipers. In this operation of the partsprovision must be made for avoiding interference between what wouldotherwise be the meeting portions of the side wipers and end wipers.This result is provlded for herein by the corners ad acent tothe endwiper with tion 68 to the side edge wiper, face 7 3 in the path of theend of the. finger.

cured on the upper surface thereof, and

having a finger 1 projecting slightly in advance of the forward oroperative edge of the wiper. 'This finger terminates in an upwardly andrearwardly inclined end 72, and the plate 69, for connectin the secas acam The side edge wipers complete the wiping operation and as the endedge wiper advances to operative position the fingers 71 by th bed, anda cam ring having cam conon the respective sides thereof will lift thesections 68 of the side edge wipers to thus provide the necessary spacefor the full operative advance of the end edge wiper withoutinterference. I

It will be noted that the wipers and vari-' ous operating parts of themachine are controlled and actuated through a cam ring,

and that therefore it is entirely feasible to fold all four edges of therectangular article as easily as the folding of the three edges hereillustrated, the fourth folding section and an additional wiper. It isalso apparent that, if the edge to be folded necessitates round corners,round-corner wipers may with ready facility be made to pprtsj Theprovlding the side wipers at ap te with'the construction describ and forconvenience there is illustrated in Eig, 19 two round corner wipers 84inde-' pendently mounted and -'simultaneously and similarly operated byappropriate cam slots in thecam ring.

The construction hereinxshown involves ,the operation of the formingplate carrier by an independent cam. However, it is apparent that, asshown in Fig. 16, the independent cam may be dispensed with and theresetting bar for the carrier 0 erated by the cam ring 16. The bar 30,or this purpose, has a depending cam-roller 85 em gaging anapproprlatelyformedcam-slot 86 in the cam ring.

a I claim 1. A folding machine comprising clamping means, forming platesassociated therewith, means for operatin the forming lates to pro ectthem beyon the edge 0 the clamping means, wipers to cooperate with thematerial in the clamping means and fold the edge thereof about theprojected forming plates and a rotary reciprocatorymembermovable in-onedirectionto operate the clamping means and the wipers.

2. A folding machine comprising clamping means, forming platesassociated therewith, means for operating the forming lates to 7 projectthem beyon the edge 0 the clamping means, wipers to 'coiiperate with thematerial in the clamping means and fold the edge'thereof aboutth'eprojected forming plates. and a rotary reciprocatory member "movablein one directiom to operate the clamping means and the wipers, and anindependent cam 'for operating 'the forming plates.

- 3. A folding machine comprising material clamping means, formingplates associated therewith, a movable bed, wipers carried by the bed,and a cam ring having cam control of the clamping means, wipers and bed.4. A folding machine comprising material clamping means, formmgpla sassociated;

therewith, a movable bed, wipers carried trol of the clamping means,wipers and bed, said cam ring operable to move said parts into operativeand inoperative positions.

operation outwardly and, inwardly ofthe edge of the clamping plate,means for o crating the forming plates, 9. bed surroun ingbut free ofthe table, the bed being mounted for vertical movement, wipers movablein the plane of the bed to 006p- "crate With'the material and fold theedge thereof about the formi plates, and a cam ring mounted and mova lain the bed and having cam grooves to time and control a movement of theclamping plate with respect tothe table, a movement of the wipers withrespect to the clamping means and a movement of the bed.

6. A folding machine comprising a table, a clamping plate to cooperatewith the table to provide a clamping means for the ma terial, formingplates associated with the clamping plate and connected therewith foroperation outwardly and inwardly of the edge of the clamping plate,means for op erating the forming plates, a bed surrounding but free ofthe table, the bed being mounted for vertical movement, wipers movablein the plane of the bed to cooperate with the material and fold the edgethereof about the forming plates, a cam ring mounted and movable in thebed and having cam grooves to time and control a move ment of theclamping plate with respect to the table, a movement of the wipers with.respect to the clamping means, and a movement of the bed and means foroperating the rm 7 A folding machine comprising a table, a clampingplate to cooperate with the table to provide a clamping means for thematerial, forming plates associated with the clan ping plate andconnected therewith for operationoutwardly and inwardly 0f the edge ofthe clamping plate, means for operating the forming plates, a bedsurrounding but free of the table, the bed being mounted for verticalmovement, wipers movable in the plane of the bed to cooperate with thematerial and fold the edge thereof about the forming plates, a cam ringmounted and movable in the bed and having cam grooves to time andcontrol movements of the clamping plate with respect to the table,movements of the Wipers with respect to the clamping means and movementsof the bed, means for operating the ring, and means operated by the camring actuating means to control a movement of the forming plates.

8. A folding machine comprising a table, a clamping plate to cooperatewith the table to provide a clamping means for the material, formingplates associated with the clamping plate and connected therewith foroperation outwardly and inwardly of the edge of the clamping plate,means for operting the forming plates, a bed surrounding but free of thetable, the bed being mounted for vertical movement, wipers movable inthe plane of the bed -to cooperate with the material and fold the edgethereof about the forming plates, a cam ring mounted and movable in thebed and having cam grooves to time and control a movement of theclamping plate with respect to the table, a movement of the wipers withrespect to the clamping means and amovement of the bed, in the orderrecited.

9. A folding machine comprising a table, a clamping plate to coiiperatewith the table to provide a clamping means for the material, formingplates associated with the clamping plate and connected therewith foroperation outwardly and inwardly of the edge of the clamping plate.means for operating the forming plates, a bed surrounding but free ofthe table, the bed being mounted for vertical movement, wipers movablein the plane of the bed to cooperate with the material and fold the.edge thereof about the forming plat-es, a cam ring mounted and movablein the bed and having cam grooves to time and control movement of theclamping plate with respect to the table, movement of the wipers withrespect to the clamping means and movement of the bed, and a creasingiron arranged below the table and having its creasing edge slightlybeyond, the edge of the table and in position to be engaged by thematerial in the movement of the bed.

10. A folding machine including material clamping means, fold definingmeans. edge folding means and an operating element for said means.

' 11. A folding machine including material clamping means, fold definingmeans, edge folding means and an operating ring for said means.

12. A folding machine including material clamping means, fold definingmeans, edge folding means, and a cam ring controlling the operation ofsaid means.

13. A folding machine including material clamping means, fold definingmeans, edge folding means, and an oscillating cam ring controlling theoperation of said means.

14. A folding machine including material clamping means, fold definingmeans, edge folding means. and a cam plate to control the operation ofsaid means.

15. A folding machine including material clamping means. edge foldingmeans and oscillating means'to control the operation of said means.

In testimony whereof. I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH \V. ANTHONY.

WVitnesses:

'B. J. Nous, H. B. DAVIS.

